Federal Contracting Glossary
Teaming Agreement
A pre-award agreement between contractors — typically a prospective prime and subcontractors — to pursue a specific opportunity together.
Definition
A contractor teaming arrangement, recognized in FAR Subpart 9.6, is an agreement between two or more companies to act together on a specific opportunity — most commonly a prospective prime agreeing with subcontractors that will perform defined portions of the work, or two firms forming a joint venture to bid as the prime. The teaming agreement is signed before award and sets out each party's scope, exclusivity, and the intent to negotiate a subcontract if the team wins.
Teaming lets firms combine capabilities, past performance, and capacity to pursue work none could win alone, and it is central to small-business strategy — including SBA-approved mentor-protégé joint ventures. Teaming agreements are generally preliminary; the binding work usually happens in the eventual subcontract.
How this affects your proposal
Lock teaming agreements in during capture, with clear scope splits, so your proposal can credibly claim teammates' past performance. Name teammates with real, scoped roles — evaluators reward specificity over a list of logos.
Common questions about teaming agreement
Is a teaming agreement legally binding?
It depends on its terms and governing law. Many are treated as agreements to negotiate a future subcontract in good faith rather than fully enforceable contracts, which is why the definitive scope lives in the subcontract after award.
Can a small business team with a large business and keep set-aside eligibility?
Yes, within limits. An SBA-approved mentor-protégé joint venture lets an eligible small business team with a larger mentor and still compete for set-asides, if the JV meets SBA's requirements.
Related terms
Set-Aside
A procurement reserved for a defined category of small business — limiting competition …
Capture Management
The disciplined pre-RFP process of positioning to win a specific opportunity — intellig…
Organizational Conflict of Interest (OCI)
A situation where a contractor's other work or relationships could bias its judgment or…
Writing a proposal that involves teaming agreement?
GovCon is the AI proposal-writing tool built specifically for federal offerors. Free plan, no card required.
Start free →See all federal contracting terms in the GovCon glossary, or read our long-form federal contracting guides.